Oasari
The Four Seals of Oasari is a large nation located in the Eastern Hemisphere of Sarastrea, just northwest of Kora. Its current ruler is Shirah Izeyone. Basic Information Nation Name: The Four Seals of Oasari Common Name: Oasari Motto: "Peace Through Collaboration" National Anthem: TBD Demonym: Oasarian Language: New Oasarian Standard (colloquially "Standard") Currency: Oasarian Seal; OSSØ1 ≈ USD$1.50 Head of State and Government: Shiroh/Shirah Capital City: Xiento Population: ~300 million Drives on the: Right Internet TLD: .os (official website: fso.os) International Digram: OS International Trigram: FSO Units of Measurement: mixed Metric/Imperial Geography Since the country's unification in 1944, "Oasari" is both a country and a continent. As it is so large, it features a diverse array of geography depending on the region. From the lush northern forests of Haerune, to the harsh Imari High Desert in north Ezjira, to the rolling plains of Eqia, to the beautiful temperate mountains in east Ezjira, to north Ashia's unforgiving tundras, Oasari features a rich variety of different environments. Economy Oasari's economy is strong. While Oasari was in debt for a time as they poured money into a huge infrastructure expansion and overhaul after the Northern War, they have since swung far in the black, thanks to their huge export and tourism markets. The chief export is luxury commodities, while textiles are the main import. Government Type: Absolute Monarchial Republican Oligarchy The government of Oasari is a complicated multi-tiered system that incorporates features of multiple traditional forms of government. At the very top is the Shiroh/Shirah (literally translating to "god-emperor"/"god-empress" respectively in Ancient Oasarian), who technically has absolute power over the nation but in practice serves mostly ceremonial and ambassadorial functions. When in public in and outside of the country, the Shiroh/Shirah is always dressed in their elaborate ceremonial wear. At the beginning of their reign (which has no term limit), the Shiroh/Shirah appoints four Emperors/Empresses to rule the nation largely without supervision. Each monarch has dominion over one of the four "Seals" (large major regions) of Oasari. Additionally, each is associated with a season, making the positions officially titled the Vernal (Eqia), Summer (Ezjira), Autumn (Ashia), and Winter (Haerune) Emperor/Empress. To make a national legislative action, these four oligarchic monarchs must agree in a majority; if there is a 2-2 tie, the Emperor/Empress who is "in season" is the tiebreaker. However, the tiebreaker can decide instead to take the issue to the Shiroh/Shirah. The Emperor/Empress currently in season, temporarily titled High Emperor/Empress, is technically second in command of the nation during their quarter of the year. These seasonal monarchs have no term limit, but the Shiroh/Shirah ultimately decides how long each of them stays and can replace them at any point. If an Emperor/Empress is relieved during their High period, the other three remaining pick up the slack until the next appointment and there is no singular High Emperor/Empress, as there cannot be any ties between them. Underneath the four seasonal monarchs are Sultans/Sultanas, who are in charge of the nation's prefectures (each being about the size of a large state). They are ultimately responsible for carrying out the seasonal monarchs' decrees for their individual regions, and they are democratically elected by the people rather than chosen by the Shiroh/Shirah. Below them are Dukes/Duchesses, who manage individual districts, which are analagous to counties and can include large metropolitan areas. Other noble/royal titles are saved for non-ruling positions (such as royal children). Despite the presence of many tiers of royalty, most areas of the government function very little like an absolute monarchy. Each level of division (national, seal, prefecture, district, and city) has a congress. With the exception of the Imperial Congress, it is up to the local governments whether or not they are unicameral, bicameral, or more. The Imperial Congress maintains a bicameral House of Representatives and Senate. In all federal legislation situations, the final decision ultimately goes across the Empire Table, where the four Emperors/Empresses meet and choose whether or not to bring it to the Shiroh/Shirah, but local congresses can pass laws applying to their jurisdiction that only need to answer to their elected nobility (whether that be a Sultan/Sultana or Duke/Duchess) to be made into law. In this way Oasari is similar to the United States in that its local governments enjoy a degree of autonomy, in spite of the presence of five ruling monarchs, one essentially absolute. Most of these officials are elected by popular vote. Every citizen is encouraged to vote in a democratic fashion, with tax incentives rewarded to those who maintain multi-election voting streaks. Every elected official (Zjihan and below) and member of Congress has a two-year term, but can be re-elected an infinite number of times. Of course, regardless of anything else everyone must follow the Shiroh/Shirah's will, but as none of the royalty is appointed by hereditary privilege only the best and fairest rulers ever become Shiroh/Shirah. Military The Oasarian Defense Force (ODF) is the collective name for Oasari's military, and as the name suggests has a primary mission of defending Oasari's borders. Although Ashia's aggressive tactics led to victory in the Northern War, it was decided after the Unification to adopt an entirely defensive strategy to avoid conflicts as much as possible and focus on protecting Oasari's people. Like the United States, the ODF consists of five branches: the Ground Force (OGF), Air Force (OAF), Navy (OSN), Special Forces (OSF), and Coast Guard (OCG). Each branch has both active duty and reserve personnel. Additionally, the Oasarian Space Defense Force (OSDF) operates in secret separate from the public Oasarian Space Administration (OSA) in anticipation of future armed conflicts in space. ODF Ranks * E-0: Recruit REC * E-1: Private PVT * E-2: Private First Class PFC * E-3: Lance Corporal LCP * E-4: Specialist SPE * E-5: Corporal CPL * E-6: Corporal First Class CFC * E-7: Master Corporal MCL * E-8: Sergeant SGT * E-9: Staff Sergeant SSG * E-10: Technical Sergeant TSG * E-11: Sergeant First Class SFC * E-12: Gunnery Sergeant GSG * E-13: Third Sergeant 3SG * E-14: Second Sergeant 2SG * E-15: First Sergeant 1SG * E-16: Master Sergeant MSG * E-17: Senior Master Sergeant SMS * E-18: Master Gunnery Sergeant MGS * E-19: Chief Master Sergeant CMS * E-20: Command Chief Master Sergeant CCM * E-21: Sergeant Major SGM * E-22: Command Sergeant Major CSM * O-1: Petty Officer Third Class PO3 * O-2: Petty Officer Second Class PO2 * O-3: Petty Officer First Class PO1 * O-4: Chief Petty Officer CPO * O-5: Senior Chief Petty Officer SCP * O-6: Master Chief Petty Officer MCP * O-7: Command Master Chief Petty Officer CMP * O-8: Warrant Officer * O-9: Master Warrant Officer MWO * O-10: Senior Warrant Officer SWO * O-11: Chief Warrant Officer CWO * O-12: Chief Warrant Officer 2 CW2 * O-13: Chief Warrant Officer 3 CW3 * O-14: Chief Warrant Officer 4 CW4 * O-15: Chief Warrant Officer 5 CW5 * O-16: Ensign ENS * O-17: Second Lieutenant 2LT * O-18: First Lieutenant 1LT * O-19: Lieutenant Commander LCD * O-20: Commander CDR * O-21: Captain CPT * O-22: Senior Captain SCP * O-23: Major MAJ * O-24: Lieutenant Colonel LTC * O-25: Senior Lieutenant Colonel SLC * O-26: Colonel COL * O-27: Senior Colonel SCL * O-28: Brigadier General (1-star) BGN / Commodore (1-star) CMM * O-29: Major General (2-star) MGN / Rear Admiral (2-star) RAD * O-30: Lieutenant General (3-star) LTG / Vice Admiral (3-star) VAD * O-31: General (4-star) GEN / Admiral (4-star) ADM * O-32: General of the Army/General of the Air Force/Fleet Admiral (5-star) GGF/GAF/FAD * O-33: High General of the Defense Force (6-star) GDF Notable Military Locations * Naval Base (NB) Overlook ("Lock & Key") - one of the Navy's island bases forming the "Ring of Fire" - a net of protection via radar, vessel patrols, missile response systems, and other methods that provides early warning and confrontation of potential hostiles approaching the continent from any vector. NB Overlook occupies the western island of the Overlook Keys two-island chain, and is primarily responsible for monitoring any maritime traffic heading to and from Xiento. * Naval Base (NB) Glestia ("First Line") - also part of the Ring of Fire, NB Glestia sits at the southeastern tip of the island of the same name, which is located south-southeast of Haerune. Its primary job is to monitor maritime traffic to and from Kora. * Naval Base (NB) Simar ("Big Toe") - another Ring of Fire base located on the large island southwest of Haerune called Simar. * Naval Submarine Base (NSB) Mocrallo - a submarine base tucked away in the sleepy town of Mocrallo at the end of Laecia's Inlet. * Supplemental Air Base (SAB) Tairana ("Glass Door") - located north of Tairana proper, SAB Tairana is located at the entrance to the Northern Passage, preventing anyone but authorized (and suitably protected) individuals from entering the radioactive area as well as conducting operations in and around it. History The continent on which Oasari resides was sparsely populated by native tribes since prehistoric times. Much information about these tribes has been lost, but a sizable amount of primary sources remain. These tribes settled in fertile locations throughout the continent - the north half of present-day Ashia was largely unpopulated, as was much of Ezjira due to the endless Palvaya mountain range. The first large society to emerge sprouted from the Cordelian Basin centered around their capital city of Xiento (which remains as the capital to this day), and was the origin of the name Oasari. Its influence was huge in the ancient continent, and it was the origin of many facets of modern Oasarian culture, including governmental titles. The "First Empire", as it is now known, began in circa 3000 BCE and lasted for approximately three millenia in various forms. The Shiroh and Shirah that ruled over it had absolute control, and several dynasties came and went. By about 100 BCE its borders had spread to all of modern Eqia, about 1/3 of Ezjira and some parts of Ashia and Haerune. In circa 70 BCE, fueled by a chism in loyalty to a weaker Shiroh, the First Empire split apart into four smaller countries, including Oasari's much smaller "Second Empire", still centered around Xiento with its control over the Aloran Islands its only claim to empiredom. This Second Empire elected to remove much of the tradition associated with the First, including replacing the Shiroh/Shirah with a less-absolute Emperor/Empress. For the time the Second Empire functioned in a much more modern way than the First, but it was also more prone to corruption. Approximately twelve centuries after the Second Empire's creation, in circa 1170 CE, a nation to the east called Haerune invaded Xiento directly with an armada consisting of the entire Haeruni navy as well as a complement of Kottstanian (Kottstania was the country formerly part of the First Empire in the southern half of modern Eqia) ships. This was called the Siege of Oasari and its objective was to overthrow a tyrannical regime in place in Oasari at the time. The current ruler, Empress Anastasia, ruled the kingdom with an iron first. Queen Cordelia, Haerune's long-standing sovereign at the time, oversaw the invasion to success, and with their shackles undone the people of Oasari began to rebuild. Under Cordelia's rule Oasari soon annexed Kottstania and became a leading continental power once more. This is known as the Third Empire. Over the next two centuries, a new empire to the west rose to power. Stretching from the Imari High Desert to the mountains overlooking the Cordeilan Basin, it called itself the Ezjiran Empire, and soon it began to spark tension with Oasari over maritime territory and trade disputes. In 1415 this tension erupted into the Imari-Oasarian War, which ended in a stalemate. On paper Oasari should have won easily with their superior numbers, but the terrain in the western landmass is much more unforgiving than in the east and the Oasarian infantry was not well prepared for it. After many casualties and no progress, both sides agreed to a truce and met to reach a compromise. Their solution was to split each empire into two smaller nations. The four resultant nations (Ashia, Ezjira, Eqia, Haerune) remain as provinces in modern day Oasari. These four nations successfully remained independent until the mid-20th century. In 1942, an empire from the Western Hemisphere called Elaniel invaded the Oasarian continent with a multi-pronged offensive. Their lofty objective was to take the capitals of all four nations and assume control over the entire continent. On paper, the combined militaries of the four nations would be able to defeat the massive Elani invasion force, but the four nations did not communicate with each other and did not lift their strict restrictions on military movement between nations. As a result, the nations' armies began to take heavy losses in key engagements. Little did they know that the largest Elani force had not yet arrived. When it did, it arrived in the northern tip of a region called the Northern Hook. This large, sparsely-populated peninsula jutting out from east Ashia had some population centers in the southeastern part, but the frigid conditions in the northern half made it a perfect place for the Elani forces to prepare without being attacked. Their plan was to move through the Northern Passage, a narrow strip of arctic land that emptied out into a major metropolitan area called Tairana that connnected the Northern Hook, and the Cordelian Basin. The Ashian government realized that if this invasion force made it through the Passage and into the western mainland, they would have little resistance taking Karazji (the Ashian capital) and Xiento (Oasari's capital), undoubtedly resulting in millions of civilian and military casualties. Their solution was to drop an atomic bomb on the troops wheh they were in the narrowest part of the Passage. Two more bombs were on standby in case the first one missed its mark, but it did not. The nuclear explosion vaporized all of the ground forces instantly, and sealed off the Northern Hook for hundreds of years. At the same time that the Hook Initiative was approved, the Ashian government also approved a counterattack to ensure the removal of Elani forces from the whole continent, not just the Northern Hook. The solution was to use a colossal artillery installation in the Palvaya Mountains called Kutashu to lob ballistic warheads over the Grewyn Ocean. A relentless assault that completely destroyed or severly crippled several major Elani cities combined with the nuke in the Northern Pass successfully got the attention of the Elani government, who immediately called for a cease-fire and retreat. Although the damage to all four countries in Oasari had been huge, Elani was forced to surrender in Tairana to silence Kutashu. The four nations of Oasari worked together on the treaty, which severely restricted Elaniel's military size, research, and production as well as geographical territory. In the aftermath of the war (known throughout Sarastrea as the Northern War), the four nations realized that unification would allow them to more effectively govern and protect their people, so the current nation (and "Fourth Empire") of Oasari was born. The new Imperial Congress' first action was the implementation of a massive infrastructure program first established in the Treaty of Tairana, that would overhaul and expand many of Oasari's cities and transportation networks, starting first with the ones that were destroyed. Elaniel was required to assist both financially and materially with the program. Among many other things, this program created the "Ring of Fire", a network of military bases surrounding the continent that provided early warning and defense against potential invaders. Climate As the nation fills an entire continent, its climate is extremely varied in different regions. No part of Oasari has a perfect climate, but most of it (the Imari High Desert being the most notable exception) is favorable. The northern reaches of Oasari have a typical Canada-like near-arctic climate, whereas the southern portions enjoy near-perfect conditions for most of the year, with an average temperature of 68 degress Fahrenheit. This environment, which comprises much of the nation, is classified as Tropical Monsoon (Koppen classification Am). Its disadvantage as the name suggests is the presence of powerful monsoons from October to March. Oasarian Monsoons are known to be some of the fiercest storms in Sarastrea, but Oasarians have had centuries to become adapt at living with them. The art of going places in a monsoon is one that can be regularly observed in the country, and "rain fashion" is an entire fashion subculture specific to Oasari, with designer parasols, raincoats and so on everpresent in the Oasarian fashion scene. Infrastructure Rail Transportation: '' Oasari relies heavily on rail traffic for both freight and passengers. Its freight system is a sprawling North American-style network that delivers cargo to most of the country. Long-distance trucking is a rarity, with medium and short distance hauls from the railroad to customers making up the bulk of the trucking industry. Oasari's passenger system is privately owned for the most part, with the dedicated high-speed lines being the exception. There is a Maglev train that runs from Xiento to Overlook, while more traditional Shinkansen-like bullet trains travel outwards from Xiento to major cities all over the country at speeds up to 200 miles per hour. Slower high-speed trains traveling under 150 mph are more common, linking the largest cities with smaller ones. Local commuter trains as well as slower luxury passenger trains make up the rest of the standard passenger network. Intraurban trains are also common in most cities, including with light rail cars, trams, elevated and underground metro systems, and monorails. A current proposed project being evaluated would add a nationwide network of advanced Maglev trains to the country, reducing the need for domestic air travel. ''Air Transportation: '' Oasari has several large international airports that serve both domestic and international flights. The most important are Xiento International (XTO), Iaqai International (IQI), and Isea International (ISA), but most large cities (Karazji, Kovano, etc.) have one. Like most things in Oasari, airlines are privatized but heavily scrutinized by the government-run OAA (Oasarian Aviation Administration). '' Road Transportation: ''Many gas stations throughout the country have facilities for petroleum, diesel, electric, E85 ethanol, compressed natural gas, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. As part of the country's doctrine is looking towards the future, the intrastructure is constantly being modified, replaced, and added to, which brings the advantage of many construction jobs for lower-class citizens and the disadvantage of construction being a frequent sight on Oasarian roads. Fortunately, the road construction crews mostly work during the night and are awarded bonuses for the quality and speed at which they complete the job, so obstruction of traffic flow is minimal. Oasari has an overland highway system much like the United States Interstate system or the German Autobahn, and has varying speed limits including several no-limit sections. '' Power: The country relies on a wide variety of power sources, including: Hydroelectric (massive coastal plants that turn seawater into filtered, drinkable water while generating large amounts of electricity) Nuclear (several nuclear reactor plants are located around the country, and all are held to rigorous safety standards both in design and operation) Solar (many houses and buildings in the country have at least one solar panel on the roof, and/or solar windows and shingles; there are additionally large solar farms, especially in the high plains near the Imari Desert) Wind (dedicated wind farms in the mountains and other areas, as well as innovative wind turbines integrated into skyscrapers and traffic lights) Wave (wave machines off the coast generate power via the kinetic energy given by the waves) Geothermal (some houses have their own geothermal wells) Pressure (sidewalks and some roads generate power through the pressure of feet stepping/cars rolling) Gymnasiums (not only do exercise machines like treadmills, ellipticals and bikes not use more electricity to operate than their gym generates in the first place, but using them generates electricty that is pumped back into the grid.) Because of the frequent threat of monsoons and other storms, all power lines are required by law to be buried underground rather than hung from poles above ground. In rural parts of the country some over-ground power lines still exist, as well as many other less modern technologies in all fields, but the government subsidizes projects to renovate these areas whenever fiscally viable. Political Geography Oasari is divided into four "Seals", or large provinces, that are the primary dividers of the country. These four Seals are as follows: 1. Eqia in the middle 2. Ezjira to the southwest 3. Ashia to the northwest 4. Haerune to the east Each Seal, which used to be an independent country, is divided into smaller prefectures, which are divided into districts. Notable Locations Eqia * Xiento: The capital city of Eqia and all of Oasari, Xiento is the nation's federal and political hub. Sprawling in every direction around the western bay of the Eqian island, the city sits lower than much of the terrain around it (Just across the short strait to the west the Ezjiran mountains begin immediately, rising up quickly to host mountainside towns such as Pavella.). The city is the country's largest by land area and population, and is a triumph in architecture and civil engineering. The city's centerpiece is the Spire of Hope, a massive skyscraper nearly 3,500 feet tall. * Overlook: A thriving tourist destination on the southwestern tip of Eqia, Overlook is so named because it rests high above sea level on a sheer cliff that overlooks the ocean. Geologists say that this sheer cliff was one of the main areas where Oasari and Kora split when the pangaea broke apart millions of years ago. In many parts of the city you can observe a 360-degree panorama of the ocean, the Overlook Keys islands down below, and many miles of Oasari to the west, north, and east. For this reason Overlook has been specifically tailored to be a leisure destination, and it is also a popular residence for the rich and famous. * Overlook Keys: A small two-island chain off the southwestern tip of Eqia (where Overlook is located). The northeast island closer to the shore is full of vacation spots and very expensive mansions for wealthy patrons. The southwest island farther away from the coast that straddles the mouth of the funnel that leads to the Xiento Strait contains a large navy base. * Alora Islands: A set of three islands off the north coast of Eqia that regularly serve as the base of operations for military testing and training exercises. * Strait of Cordelia: the narrow strip of water separating Eqia from Ezjira, the Strait is technically part of Xiento. Ezjira * Iaqai: A port city nestled in a valley on the southwestern coast, bordered on all sides by either the ocean or the surrounding mountain range, Iaqai is one of Oasari's most valuable economic assets. It is the nation's #1 trade destination for all merchants from the Western Hemisphere as well as Aberon. * Karazji: Ezjira's capital city. Nestled high in the mountains, Karazji is nonetheless a sprawling metropolis that hosts one of the largest single populations in Oasari. As it is so high in altitude, Karazji is a common destination for astronomers and is the location of Oasari's space program. Oasari's national space station stays in geostationary orbit directly above Karazji. * Pavella: A mountain town overlooking the capital city across the narrow strait that separates the two western regions with Eqia, Pavella is Carmen's hometown and where the second Athalia Academy was located. * Palvaya Mountains: One of the natural wonders of Sarastrea, the Palvayas are a massive mountain chain covering almost half of the western landmass that contains Ashia and Ezjira. Roughly at the center of the mountain range is the Imari High Desert, and the eastern side of the mountains gradually slopes down to the Cordelian Basin. "Palvaya" is the ancient Oasarian word for "endless". * Imari High Desert: This large desert whose northern edge borders Ashia is one of the largest deserts in Sarastrea after the Sarolai, and is also one of the only arid parts of Oasari. It lies in the middle of the gigantic Palvaya mountain range, resulting in breathtaking high desert plains that are also incredibly lethal due to shortage of oxygen and altitude sickness. Oasari's tallest peak isn't far from here. * Cordelian Basin: Also partly in Eqia, the Cordelian Basin is where the old state of Oasari was located. It is so named because of Queen Cordelia, who led the nation of Vox Domini (in modern day Haerune) in the Siege of Oasari, succeeding in her goal of toppling the extremely oppressive Oasarian regime at the time. Ashia * Xugina: The northernmost settlement in Oasari, Xugina is also one of the farthest north in Sarastrea. It resides above Sarastrea's Arctic Circle, and is used primarily as a base of operations for Arctic explorations and other research. * Pacroya: Ashia's capital city, located in the southwest. * Sunset City: A coastal city tightly nestled in the side of the mountains, Sunset City and the associated Sunset Valley around it is one of Oasari's most picturesque locations. Located at the mouth of a very long funnel on the northwest coast of Ashia, it is an industrial port city but is mostly known for its culture and night life, and the rampant street racing that occurs on the twisty mountain roads around it. * Mocrallo: A coastal town at the end of a very narrow water passage called Laecia's Inlet, Mocrallo exists primarily to service the submarine base there. * Northern Hook: The Northern Hook is the large peninsula just north of Ezjira that juts out of northeast Ashia. It is comprised of two parts: the "Northern Squirrel", which is the colloquial name for the northern part, and the Northern Passage, which is the relatively narrow strip of land that connects the "Tail of the Squirrel" with the rest of Ashia. At the bottom of the Passage lies the large city Tairana. Haerune * Isea: Oasari's main eastern port that lies tucked away in one of Haerune's southern bays, Isea is Oasari's main trading point with Kora and High Roll Island. While not as large or profitable as Iaqai in Ezjira, Isea is still a flourishing coastal city with a booming trade market. * Kovano: Haerune's capital city, located in the northwest. * Simar: The large island to the southwest of continental Haerune, Simar was a separate nation before the unification and thus is home to a unique subculture, history, and dialect. Older Simari folk typically don't venture to the mainland except as merchants, while the younger generation frequently returns from the mainland trying to make Simar more "hip" and inline with what the mainland culture hotspots are doing. The Navy and Coast Guard both operate out of Simar. * Glestia: A smaller (compared to Simar) island southeast of continental Haerune that was once its own small nation, Glestia has retained less of its old culture than Simar has but still has a unique flair. It is a popular vacation spot for Haeruni people, particularly those from Isea.